For the last decade or so, Patagonia has been on an ongoing mission to build the perfect wading boot. Or, perhaps better put, the perfect wading boots. This calling has led to a number of Patagonia partnerships with venerated bootmakers with long running pedigrees, such as Wolverine and Danner. Those efforts have brought us notable innovations, such as use of now-ubiquitous aluminum bars for wading traction, which it’s fair to say Patagonia was the first to push in a serious way with its Foot Tractor line of boots.

Maybe it’s my own creeping seniority or the aching knees, chronic back pain and the general disdain for that morning “warm-up” period — you know, that time it takes to find a limp-free gait from the bed to the bathroom — but I’m starting to appreciate older things these days.

First, older things are still around because they’re worth having around, right? They’re of value. They function. They serve a purpose. They work.